An electrostatic spray chilling system is configured to rapidly cool foodstuffs. A conveyor traverses foodstuffs through a chilling tunnel. A chilled primary airflow is provided to the chilling tunnel to cool the foodstuffs. As the foodstuff is traversed through the chilling tunnel, spray modules generate and apply sprays of electrostatically charged fluid onto the foodstuff. The charged fluid droplets are attracted to the grounded foodstuff. The charged fluid droplets can be guided onto the foodstuff by secondary fans, configured to generate subflows of the chilled primary air, and by air guiding baffles.

An electrostatic spray chilling system is configured to rapidly cool foodstuffs. A conveyor traverses foodstuffs through a chilling tunnel. A chilled primary airflow is provided to the chilling tunnel to cool the foodstuffs. As the foodstuff is traversed through the chilling tunnel, spray modules generate and apply sprays of electrostatically charged fluid onto the foodstuff. The charged fluid droplets are attracted to the grounded foodstuff. The charged fluid droplets can be guided onto the foodstuff by secondary fans, configured to generate subflows of the chilled primary air, and by air guiding baffles.

An edible composition to prolong the shelf-life of food products can include gum arabic and date pits extract. The edible composition can be applied to a food product to preserve the food product. For example, the edible composition can protect the food product from bacterial growth, loss of moisture, and/or oxidation. In an embodiment, the edible composition can be applied to the food product prior to refrigeration to increase the shelf-life of the food product. For example, the food product with the edible composition applied thereon, can be refrigerated at a temperature of about 4° C. in order to increase the shelf-life of the food product. The food product can include at least one of a meat product, a fruit product, and a vegetable product. The meat product can include, e.g., chicken, beef, or lamb. In an embodiment, the meat product is chicken.

An edible composition to prolong the shelf-life of food products can include gum arabic and date pits extract. The edible composition can be applied to a food product to preserve the food product. For example, the edible composition can protect the food product from bacterial growth, loss of moisture, and/or oxidation. In an embodiment, the edible composition can be applied to the food product prior to refrigeration to increase the shelf-life of the food product. For example, the food product with the edible composition applied thereon, can be refrigerated at a temperature of about 4° C. in order to increase the shelf-life of the food product. The food product can include at least one of a meat product, a fruit product, and a vegetable product. The meat product can include, e.g., chicken, beef, or lamb. In an embodiment, the meat product is chicken.

Provided is a dry aging system using oxygen in which a separate dry-aging room is provided in a refrigerating compartment, and a mixed gas using oxygen is supplied into the dry-aging room so as to solve a blacking and browning phenomenon of a meat surface, which is led to an increase in loss rate and an increase in edible meat cost, which are disadvantages of existing dry-aging, thereby allowing the meat surface to be maintained in a bright red color through meat color fixation, minimizing the occurrence of the blacking and browning phenomenon to reduce the loss rate of the edible meat, and supplying flavorful dry-aged meat at a more reasonable price. Also, the blacking and browning phenomenon occurring on the generally dry-aged meat may be significantly reduced to produce aesthetically and tastefully very superior dry-aged meat.

Provided is a dry aging system using oxygen in which a separate dry-aging room is provided in a refrigerating compartment, and a mixed gas using oxygen is supplied into the dry-aging room so as to solve a blacking and browning phenomenon of a meat surface, which is led to an increase in loss rate and an increase in edible meat cost, which are disadvantages of existing dry-aging, thereby allowing the meat surface to be maintained in a bright red color through meat color fixation, minimizing the occurrence of the blacking and browning phenomenon to reduce the loss rate of the edible meat, and supplying flavorful dry-aged meat at a more reasonable price. Also, the blacking and browning phenomenon occurring on the generally dry-aged meat may be significantly reduced to produce aesthetically and tastefully very superior dry-aged meat.

A frozen food product is described to include frozen foodstuffs combined with a polysaccharide, protein, or other water absorber, individually or in combination, separated from the food stuff through one or more mechanisms including but not limited to, suspension of the polysaccharide, protein, or other water absorber in oil, encapsulation of the polysaccharide, protein, or other water absorber, or a dry mixture of the polysaccharide, protein, or other water absorber and seasoning applied to frozen foodstuffs. As the frozen foodstuffs are cooked, water expressed from the foodstuffs activates or hydrates the polysaccharide, protein, or other water absorber.

Systems and devices are provided for generating gel-ice. For example, a gel-ice generator is provided including a rotor apparatus to assist in moving flowable material through a gel-ice formation chamber. The rotor apparatus may include a rotor shaft positioned in the gel-ice formation chamber which is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis during operation and to maintain flowable material within an annular column around the rotor shaft as the flowable material moves from an inlet end of the gel-ice formation chamber toward an outlet end of the gel-ice formation chamber. The gel-ice formation chamber may be surrounded by a coolant passage that spirals circumferentially along an exterior of the chamber. The rotor apparatus may further include a plurality of scraper elements supported on the rotor shaft to rotate in unison therewith to assist in the production of gel-ice as the rotor shaft rotates during operation by, among other things, scraping ice particles of a wall of a surrounding enclosure. The resultant gel-ice has a variety of uses, including for food processing and preservation.

The present invention relates to methods for preventing or inhibiting ice recrystallisation in substances (e.g. biological materials and food products) which are susceptible to ice crystal growth upon cryopreservation and/or thawing therefrom. The methods relate to the use of compositions comprising poly(proline) or a variant or derivative thereof. Also provided are kits and compositions comprising poly(proline) which can be used in the methods of the invention.

The present invention relates to methods for preventing or inhibiting ice recrystallisation in substances (e.g. biological materials and food products) which are susceptible to ice crystal growth upon cryopreservation and/or thawing therefrom. The methods relate to the use of compositions comprising poly(proline) or a variant or derivative thereof. Also provided are kits and compositions comprising poly(proline) which can be used in the methods of the invention.